Extract

Research in the archives of Longman and Company at Reading University has brought to light some facts which supplement and correct the account given by Professor Skempton (i) concerning the publication of Smeaton’s Reports, his Miscellaneous Papers and the third edition of A Narrative of the Building of A Narrative of the Building of the Edystone Lighthouse. Skempton concluded that about 500 copies of Volume 1 of the Reports were printed by Samuel Brooke for the Society of Civil Engineers in 1797, and quotes a Minute of the Society to the effect that Robert Mylne handed over 120 copies of this edition to Longmans in February 1810. As this number appeared to be too small, Skempton assumed that other copies had been stored by William Faden, who acted as publisher for this volume. It now appears that the Minute should have read 720, this probably being Mylne’s estimate of the number handed over, as Longman’s ledger records that Mylne in fact delivered 714 copies.

Footnotes

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